Tour of Alaska

In the summer of 1999, we invited cousins Suresh and Sudheendra to visit us in Fairbanks, Alaska. Coming from the suburbs of Chicago, this would prove to be a real wilderness experience for the city-boys! Starting in Fairbanks, we travelled to Mt. McKinley (Denali Park), Anchorage, and Valdez, with many stops on the way!

(Click on thumbnails to view full-size images)

While still in Fairbanks, we went to Golden Heart Park downtown. (L-R) Suresh, Sudheendra, Me, and my friend Anirban
(83K) Starting point of the trip: our house! This is the RV we rented- it proved to be a very comfortable home on the road
(97K)

Me, Anil, and Suds waiting for a tour bus at Mount McKinley
(77K) A Caribou runnning by the bus on the tour at McKinley
(74K)

A pit stop for Beak! Suds, my Mom, and Beak
(68K) My dad, Suresh, and Syds at the Portage Visitor's Center
(59K)

Me, Anil, an ill-looking Suresh, and Sudheendra at Portage Glacier
(62K) Beatiful scenery at Portage Glacier
(84K)

Here is what's left of Portage Glacier after many years of warmer winters have taken their toll on the once-massive glacier
(35K) The group just outside of Anchorage
(70K)

Quite possibly the best Mexican restaurant in Alaska: La Mex in Anchorage
(42K) Signs like this are not uncommon as food and gas are few and far between on the way to Valdez from Anchorage. My parents jokingly feeding each other with Beak on the lookout
(78K)

Heeding the sign above, we stopped to eat!
(52K) We stayed overnight at the Cantwell RV park on the way to Valdez
(74K)

Sudheendra in the greenery somewhere between Anchorage and Valdez
(102K) Me in front of a waterfall on the way to Valdez from Anchorage
(81K)

My mom enthusiastically pointing out some wildlife while on the drive (is it just me, or does the window on the right look like a TV?)
(83K) When we got to Valdez, we took a tour on an icebreaker!
(62K)

Sudheendra and I on the icebreaker on tour in Valdez
(71K) More scenery from the boat- these are small chunks of ice from a glacier in Valdez
(44K)

The name says it all! A stop n the way back to Fairbanks (Suds)
(62K) Another stop on the return trip
(61K)

We gotta' eat, don't we? (L-R) Me, my parents Suds, Anil
(78K)

This page created on a Macintosh using PhotoPage by John A. Vink.

While still in Fairbanks, we went to Golden Heart Park downtown. (L-R) Suresh, Sudheendra, Me, and my friend Anirban	(83K)	Starting point of the trip: our house! This is the RV we rented- it proved to be a very comfortable home on the road	(97K)
Me, Anil, and Suds waiting for a tour bus at Mount McKinley	(77K)	A Caribou runnning by the bus on the tour at McKinley	(74K)
A pit stop for Beak! Suds, my Mom, and Beak	(68K)	My dad, Suresh, and Syds at the Portage Visitor's Center	(59K)
Me, Anil, an ill-looking Suresh, and Sudheendra at Portage Glacier	(62K)	Beatiful scenery at Portage Glacier	(84K)
Here is what's left of Portage Glacier after many years of warmer winters have taken their toll on the once-massive glacier	(35K)	The group just outside of Anchorage	(70K)
Quite possibly the best Mexican restaurant in Alaska: La Mex in Anchorage	(42K)	Signs like this are not uncommon as food and gas are few and far between on the way to Valdez from Anchorage. My parents jokingly feeding each other with Beak on the lookout	(78K)
Heeding the sign above, we stopped to eat!	(52K)	We stayed overnight at the Cantwell RV park on the way to Valdez	(74K)
Sudheendra in the greenery somewhere between Anchorage and Valdez	(102K)	Me in front of a waterfall on the way to Valdez from Anchorage	(81K)
My mom enthusiastically pointing out some wildlife while on the drive (is it just me, or does the window on the right look like a TV?)	(83K)	When we got to Valdez, we took a tour on an icebreaker!	(62K)
Sudheendra and I on the icebreaker on tour in Valdez	(71K)	More scenery from the boat- these are small chunks of ice from a glacier in Valdez	(44K)
The name says it all! A stop n the way back to Fairbanks (Suds)	(62K)	Another stop on the return trip	(61K)
We gotta' eat, don't we? (L-R) Me, my parents Suds, Anil	(78K)